Congo presidential campaigns enter final stretch

As election campaigns in Congo enter the final stretch, analysts said there has been relative calm in the country.

The campaigns are expected to end on Friday and in a last minute rush to solicit for votes, presidential candidates are set to traverse major towns in the central African nation.

Nearly 2.1 million voters are eligible to vote out of the country’s 4.5 million people.

The government completed a census earlier this year that revised the figure upward from 1.8 million voters

A total of nine presidential candidates will be seeking to unseat Congo’s long serving ruler Denis Sassou Nguesso, who is seeking a third term in office.

Despite the calm atmosphere, the main opposition coalition has accused the government of trying to suppress its movements.

Recently, the coalition formed its own parallel electoral body which they said will conduct vote tallying to prevent cases of fraud.

However, Michel Kafando, Special Envoy of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) has warned that there could be cases of unrest if the opposition does not accept the outcome of the results.